Fox23.com (KOKI-TV), Tulsa, Oklahoma, 5 March 2009

Spanking In Schools

That's why staff from TPS' Hawthorne Elementary are under fire
for possibly spanking kids even though their parents may have
OK'd it.

"If we were to determine that corporal punishment was
used and the parents were not aware, then there could be the
issue of whether or not criminal activity has been
involved," said Gary Rudick, Chief for TPS Campus
Police.

A parental stamp of approval is what's needed for an
Owasso student to be spanked.

That district's one of only a few in Oklahoma still practicing
corporal punishment.

"It is still an option, it's there," said David
Hall, Assistant Superintendent at Owasso Public Schools.

Even more rare, administrators say, is how often it's
used.

"I've been here five years and I don't recall but maybe
one or two times," said Hall.

Spanking students is also on the minds of state lawmakers.

An amendment included in a Senate bill making its way through
the legislature would ban male teachers or principals from
paddling female students and vise-versa.

Hall says, that hasn't been an issue for the district.

The bill that includes the corporal punishment amendment
passed the state Senate. Now it needs to pass the House.

RELATED VIDEO CLIP

News report (1 min 27 secs) -- "Spanking in Schools", Fox 23 Oklahoma, 5 March 2009. This is the TV news item of which the above is a slightly abbreviated text version.

HERE IS THE CLIP:

IMPORTANT: Copyright in this video material rests with the original copyright holders. This brief excerpt is reproduced under the "fair use" doctrine for private, non-profit, historical research and education purposes only. It must not be redistributed or republished in any commercial context.

KTAL-TV (NBC), Shreveport, Louisiana, 9 March 2009

Legislator Wants Ban on Paddling Students

Reported by Karen Hopkins

Schools throughout Louisiana paddle children as a form of
punishment, but a state representative is working to make it
illegal.

Hitting a child with a paddle is legal in about 20 states,
including the entire Arklatex. "The principal had her bend
over and touch the chair and get paddled five times," Midway
Elementary Student Brittany Butler said.

The Caddo middle school student knows how corporal punishment
works. She witnessed another child being paddled just two months
ago, for acting up. "She was flipping off teacher and
jumping on desks."

According to the Caddo Parish handbook, principals can paddle a
child just three times, using extreme caution. "For some
students, the threat of being paddled is enough to keep them in
line." Linear Teacher Cedric Choyce said.

Choyce says he's paddled students before, and as a child, he
experienced it firsthand. "I felt pain coming on but it
didn't scar me to the point I would fear the pain."

Many parents don't want educators spanking their children.
"I'm not against them being disciplined, but we don't know
who's going to be spanking your child and the force that they're
going to use." Leah Carter, of Bossier Parish, requested no
paddling for her sons. Most schools in our area allow parents to
make that decision. "I don't have a problem with my children
being paddled in school because it gives them a sense that they
have to respect the authority of teachers and principals,"
Caddo Parish Mom Danielle Butler said.

But striking can get out of hand. Caddo Parish is investigating
three teachers for impermissible corporal punishment, according
to the Caddo Federation of Teachers. "Paddling out of anger,
that's when you get carried away and some kids get abused,"
Choyce said.

Desoto does it about 4 times a month, and Caddo says it's
rare. But the effect can last for years, according to a
Shreveport psychologist. "They don't feel comfortable in
school, they feel threatened often times, growing into adulthood
this leaves emotional scars," Dr. Gerald Baker said.

Scars that State Representative Barbara Norton hopes don't
touch another child. She's working on a bill to end corporal
punishment in Louisiana. "I'm concerned not only about my
grandchild, I'm concerned about all children." Norton says
she hopes her bill will strike down paddling.

A 1977 supreme court ruling didn't find paddling as cruel and
unusual punishment. Without a national law banning it, the
decision is left up to states.

HERE IS THE CLIP:

IMPORTANT: Copyright in this video material rests with the original copyright holders. This brief excerpt is reproduced under the "fair use" doctrine for private, non-profit, historical research and education purposes only. It must not be redistributed or republished in any commercial context.

Tallahassee Democrat, Florida, 19 March 2009

Crawfordville Elementary School administrator under investigation

A Crawfordville Elementary School administrator is under
investigation by the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office after a
parent complained about the paddling of her 11-year-old child.

The parent "felt like the child had been abused,"
said Maj. Maurice Langston of the Sheriff's Office.

Superintendent David Miller said the Wakulla County School
Board, like others in Florida, allows the use of corporal
punishment.

"It would be for gross insubordination, fighting, things
of that nature," he said. "It would be for things that
are more severe. It might be used as an alternative
to suspension."

What the child was disciplined for will be part of the
investigation, Miller said. He said he'll take "appropriate
action" once the investigation is complete.

Florida statutes state a teacher or principal may administer
corporal punishment only in the presence of another adult who is
informed beforehand and in the student's presence of the reason
for punishment. At the parent's request, the teacher or principal
must provide a written explanation of the reason and the name of
the other adult.

Paddling Protest At Memphis Charter School

(extracts)

Reported by: Kevin Holmes

MEMPHIS, TN - Friday, March 27, 2009, members of a
California based "anti-corporal punishment" group stood
outside the Memphis Academy of Health Sciences. They handed
out flyers and talked to parents about paddling, which the group
calls legalized child abuse. The group is called "The
Hitting Stops Here." Director Paula Flowe says hitting
a child in school sends the wrong message. "We're
teaching our children how to handle conflicts. Are you
saying the way to handle a conflict is by hurting another human
being that did something you don't approve of?"

[...]

But many parents don't mind. The disciplinary procedures are
the reason Lakeisha Rayburn plans on enrolling her daughter
Brianna next fall. "I think that's part of the problem
with kids in public school."

In 2004, corporal punishment was banned by Memphis City
Schools. Ever since the ban, Rayburn feels MCS has gotten
out of control. Flowe says corporal punishment however, is
not the way to restore it. "Today's spanked child is
tomorrow's prey for a pedophile. Cause you've already shown
that child this is not your body. I'll do as I
please."

The principal at Memphis Academy of Health Sciences released this
written statement:

"In 2003, during our first year of operation, we did not use
corporal punishment during the first half of the school
year. During that time our students perceived our
disciplinary policies as weak and ineffective."

The next semester the school incorporated corporal punishment and
says behavior problems have diminished significantly.
Faculty members also stress to myEyewitnessNews.com
that Memphis Academy of Health Sciences is a charter
school. Parents choose to enroll their children there and
before they do, they know about the disciplinary procedures.

Corporal punishment is still legal in 21 states including
Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

"Protest at Memphis Charter School", ABC24/CW30 Eyewitness News, TN, 27 March 2009. Long (4 minutes) TV news report of which the above text item is a very abbreviated version. Anti-CP agitator Paula Flowe and a colleague, trying to create a disturbance in front of the school, are interviewed. There is a counter-demonstration by parents, who make it clear that they support the school's policy and in some cases that is precisely why they are sending their children to the school. The school leadership declines to be interviewed on camera but the reporter reads out a statement from the principal.

HERE IS THE CLIP:

IMPORTANT: Copyright in this video material rests with the original copyright holders. This brief excerpt is reproduced under the "fair use" doctrine for private, non-profit, historical research and education purposes only. It must not be redistributed or republished in any commercial context.

"He's been with DISD over 20-plus years, a
high school principal at Lincoln for 12 years," he said.
"I'm very furious about the fact that they would try to
suspend the principal. No one should be sent to the gas chamber
if they didn't commit the crime."

A Dallas schools spokesman would not confirm or deny the
suspension and reassignment on Monday, saying it's a personnel
matter, and he wouldn't discuss the paddling issue under the
advice of the district's legal counsel.

Click to enlarge

Jones did not return a call left at the school. It's not clear
when his suspension goes into effect.

Price said the incident happened about two years ago and Jones
was just told of the suspension on Thursday, a day after The
Dallas Morning News made inquiries to the district about the
paddling incident. The district's Office of Professional
Responsibility has reviewed the situation.

Despite The News' request, the district has provided no
information about what occurred.

Price identified the coach as Jerry Sands, former football
coach at Lincoln. Sands was placed on administrative leave last
year for violating campus policy in an undisclosed incident. He
wouldn't comment last week on the paddling incident that
allegedly involved a boat paddle. But Sands said he still works
for DISD.

Price said the student wanted back on the football team and
was given an option by Sands to take "licks" to rejoin
the team. Price said the student took the licks.

Jones didn't find out about the incident until
six weeks after it occurred, Price said. He added that Jones
verbally reprimanded the coach and told him he would be fired if
it happened again.